In Over His Head
by Liete
Summary: -Somewhat one-sided US/UK, delinquent AU- 'This boy is certainly the sort of person his mother would want him to avoid, but his heart is racing anyway.'


**In Over His Head  
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**By: Liete**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters portrayed.**

**A/N: This one is set before "As You Were" from Alfred's POV!****  
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At fifteen, Alfred Jones's life is on a set path, and has been for many years. There's no doubt in the minds of anyone who knows him that he'll have a successful future.

What they don't know, or perhaps what they don't want to acknowledge, is that most of the things Alfred is supposedly good at are things that don't come naturally to him. Sure, he's an ace at math and science, but with nearly every other subject he has to study extra hard or get additional help from his peers. He's good at sports now, but he wasn't always. He'd been rather scrawny and gawky before, and it was only after he spent years waking up before dawn and training at the gym that he put on any significant muscle. Even now he trains more than his teammates do, lest he screw up and let everyone down.

He supposes he shouldn't complain. He has a good life and his hard work really does pay off, but he feels as though he can't always be a typical teenager because then he might let down his parents, peers, teachers, coaches, whatever. He's too young to be taking things so seriously and trying so hard, but he can't imagine what people would think of him if he was anything less than perfect.

Alfred blinks as a hand waves in front of him and he comes to himself again and sees his best friend, Kiku, watching him with a curious expression. That's right, he's on the train with his group of friends because there's a concert they all wanted to see. It's summer, so they're supposed to goof off and have fun, but Alfred can't help but think that he shouldn't have asked for the day off at work, because if he's not going to be studying for the standardized tests he's going to take next year or prepping for the upcoming football season, he should at least be working for money so he can save for college and a car for when he passes his driver's test. There's plenty of time for goofing off on the weekends.

He grins at Kiku, who raises an eyebrow, but then smiles slightly in reply. Kiku, his best friend since before he can remember, who liked him even when he was a shy, gawky kid and they spent their afternoons playing Nintendo games and discussing the colonies on Mars they would one day build together.

His eyes sweep over the rest of his friends standing on the train near him and chatting amongst themselves. He's the common denominator in their circle, he knows, but somehow they all get along anyway. There's Francis, a somewhat perverted French boy who likes to brag about his sexual conquests, but whether any of them are true or not is up for debate.

Then there's Ludwig, a serious and stern, but still awkward German. According to Feliciano he used to be a little less serious, but then his older brother ran away from home. They're not supposed to talk about it, because it just makes Ludwig even more brusque than usual.

Of course there's the Vargas twins, too. Lovino, the older one and Feliciano, the younger one. Feliciano's the cheerful one, although he can be a little air headed and cowardly. Lovino's the foulmouthed and bristly one, but he's every bit as cowardly as his brother can be. Since Antonio graduated in the spring, Lovino's been even bristlier than ever.

A weird mix of characters, but Alfred likes them all the same.

Francis pushes his way through the twins so he can nudge Alfred and waggle his eyebrows suggestively. Alfred knows what's coming and he tries to think of a way to change the subject before it's even brought up. His efforts are, predictably, thwarted.

"Where is the lovely Rosalie? You neglected to bring your new paramour along on our outing?" Francis asks and Alfred immediately deflates. Rosalie, his latest girlfriend, had broken up with him the day before after only dating for two weeks, saying that he's a very nice guy, but she needs to be with someone more exciting. Perhaps she'd been frustrated that he only wanted to go out on weekends, and wouldn't do anything beyond hold hands. It's been the same thing with every other girlfriend he's had. He barely gets to the stage where he can awkwardly kiss them before they decide they don't want to date him anymore.

"We broke up," he mumbles miserably in reply. Francis groans and runs a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Alfred, my dear friend, you need to stop picking girls who you think need a hero. Expand your horizons!"

"It's nice to feel needed, though," Alfred replies just as miserably as before. Francis claps his hand on Alfred's shoulder and gives him a sympathetic look. Before he can say anything else, the train drags to a halt and Feliciano cheers that they're finally at their destination.

As Alfred shuffles off the train with his friends, he wonders if that's what his problem is. He keeps dating girls who seem like they need to be saved from something. Maybe he's just interested in the wrong kind of girl.

* * *

Although he has the resources he needs at home, Alfred likes to study at the library. It's a quiet environment where he won't have to worry about his father peeking in and wondering how things are going. It also means he can play online games or chat with his friends without his mother finding excuses to come into his room and peek over his shoulder.

After a particularly grueling literature crunch, Alfred stretches out his stiff limbs and then looks at his watch. He's been studying since the library opened and he's due for some lunch. Just then he gets a text from one of his teammates asking if he wants to join them for a friendly football game that afternoon. Alfred grins and replies in the affirmative. That will give him plenty of time to grab a burger and then make his way to the park.

He packs his books and other supplies into his backpack and makes his way to the exit. He's surprised when he wanders over to the bike rack and finds his little brother, Matthew, starting to chain up his own bike.

"Mattie! What's up?" Alfred asks as he jogs the remaining distance between them. Matt, who had been starting to unhook the strap on his helmet, sighs at his brother.

"Mom and Dad want you to come home. They've got some guy from a scholarship program there they want you to meet."

Alfred scowls. They won't ever give up on that, he realizes. He really doesn't _want_ to go to the college they have in mind for him, but he doesn't have the heart to tell them so. He just avoids the subject whenever it's brought up. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, trying to think of a way he can avoid it this time. His eyes light up and he grins when he thinks of an excuse to go play football with his teammates instead.

"Tell them…I agreed to tutor someone and can't back out!"

Matt sighs and gives his brother a pleading look. "I can't keep covering for you, Al! You have to stand up to Mom and Dad yourself sometime!"

But by then Alfred has his bike unchained and he's already starting to ride away. "Sorry, Mattie! I'll see you later!"

He feels a little guilty when he catches the exasperated look on his little brother's face, but he really can't face up to his parents about their expectations of him. They've taken care of him his whole life, he owes it to them to be a good son. It isn't fair that he pawns things off on his little brother, but his parents don't have the same ridiculous expectations of Matt that they do of him, even though Matt is showing more promise in junior high than he was at that age. It's the problem of being the first son, he supposes.

Alfred swings by the burger place he works at and checks his work schedule while he grabs a burger and a soda, then it's off to the park for a football game. It's getting practice in at the same time, so it doesn't really count as goofing off, he tells himself. He doesn't have to feel that guilty about blowing off his parents again.

When he gets there and chains up his bike, his friends greet him with the usual slaps on the back and high fives and then the game is underway after a short discussion. He likes these games the best, when there's no eyes on him scrutinizing his every move. No expectations. Just his friends having a good time.

But even friends have their issues and soon a time out is called so two of his teammates can argue about a bad play. Alfred sighs and takes that as an opportunity to survey the rest of the park. There's the usual people walking their dogs, rollerbladers, some kids playing tee ball a couple fields over. His eyes roam over the parking lot and that's where they abruptly stop.

There's a boy with blond hair and large eyebrows weaving in and out of the cars and smoking. His clothes are dark and tattered and something on his ears gleams in the sunlight that Alfred realizes must be piercings. He remembers pointing out a biker gang to his mother a few years ago and being told sternly that nice boys had no business associating with rough people like that. This boy is certainly the sort of person his mother would want him to avoid, but his heart is racing anyway.

The boy pauses as a patrol car pulls up beside him and he pulls his cigarette out of his mouth. Alfred can't hear what they're saying, but the police officer looks very angry and the boy looks very calm, unaffected by the policeman's angry words. The boy is probably comfortable with who he is, even if it means he's a rough person that people would want to avoid.

"Alfred!" called from down the field brings Alfred's attention back to his friends and he just manages to catch the ball that's hurdling towards him before it hits him in the face. He runs down the length of the field to score a touchdown before he's tackled by his friends. He celebrates with his friends for a moment and then he looks back towards the parking lot, only to find that the boy is gone. The smile fades from his face and then he can't bring himself to play football with his friends anymore. As he rides his bike home, he keeps his eye out for the boy and is disappointed when he doesn't see him again.

* * *

One good thing about being born on the Fourth of July is that he gets flashy fireworks for his birthday. Since he's turning sixteen, his parents had offered to buy him a car for his birthday, but he turned them down. He'd rather buy one with his own money. So instead they throw him a huge party in the park and nearly everyone he knows is there. He laughs with friends and talks politely with relatives, though he once again avoids the subject of what school he'll be applying to.

It's as his cake is brought out again that he sees him again. The blond boy from that day in the park. He doesn't hear the voices of his friends and family singing to him because he's too busy watching as that boy glances curiously over at the congregation and then continues on his way. Alfred wants to follow him, but he can't leave now. Once he blows out the candles on his cake (and wishes for an opportunity to meet that boy), he's expected to open his presents. Then he has to converse with his guests again, so by the time he has the opportunity to leave the party site, the boy is more than likely long gone.

Alfred sits with Kiku as they wait for the fireworks to start and fidgets. He wonders if he should bring up the mystery boy to his best friend, who has accepted him no matter what he's done. Surely he wouldn't care if Alfred admitted he might be interested in another boy?

"Say, Kiku?" Alfred asks hesitantly after awhile.

"Yes?" Kiku replies, though he's still watching the sky.

Alfred bites his lip, but decides to ask anyway. "Do you think it's possible to be interested in something all along and just not notice it?"

Kiku blinks and then looks at Alfred with a furrowed brow. "What do you mean?"

"Ah…like…all this time I've really wanted to…play soccer and not football?"

"I suppose that's possible," Kiku agrees and turns his attention back towards the sky. "Your parents might be a little disappointed."

"Yeah, I figured," Alfred agrees. Of course they'd be disappointed if he were to tell them that he saw a boy he wants to meet. A boy his mother would want him to avoid.

"Are you going to?" Kiku asks and Alfred snaps back to attention.

"Eh? Oh no, I was just wondering…" Alfred mumbles and he's grateful that the fireworks start then, because he's afraid of Kiku seeing right through him and inquiring further.

* * *

He almost has his mind off the boy when he goes back into work the following week. It's impossible in too many ways, and besides that it's probably him just being interested in someone he thinks he can save again, only this time he's just confusing his feelings. Of course he's not attracted to a boy. It's not right. His parents wouldn't approve.

But all of that is thrown out of the window when yet another customer comes in and complains about the punk loitering outside and harassing the patrons. His boss grumbles and starts walking towards the exit. Alfred, meanwhile, looks through the large panes of glass and his heart nearly leaps out of his chest. It's him.

"I'll take care of this, boss!" he exclaims without thinking and his boss turns to look incredulously at him.

"Don't be ridiculous, Alfred. Those delinquents can get violent, so I'll handle this," the man insists, but Alfred's already walking out from behind the counter towards the door.

"Really, it's okay!" Alfred calls over his shoulder as he pushes out the door.

His heart pounds in anticipation as he approaches the boy, who sets suspicious eyes on him. Green. A very nice shade of green, Alfred notes.

"Hey there! Do you think you could move elsewhere? Some of the customers aren't very comfortable right now," he says pleasantly, and is relieved that his voice doesn't waver at all.

The boy just stares at him like he's sprouted a second head, then his expression relaxes and he readjusts himself against the building. He's not at all threatened by Alfred, which is just fine, because Alfred wants very much to be friendly with this boy anyway.

He purses his lips and scratches at his head, thinking of how to handle this situation in a way that benefits both himself and the customers. His expression brightens when he's struck with an idea. "Or why don't you come inside and try a burger? My treat!"

The boy's eyes widen again in disbelief and then they slowly narrow again. He looks angry and Alfred tries one last ditch effort to save face.

"Anyway, my name's Alfred, Alfred Jones!" he says brightly with a smile.

"Well then, fuck off, Jones," the boy hisses and Alfred's smile falters. The other teenager pushes off the building and stalks off, leaving Alfred feeling thoroughly disappointed. He works hard to be the sort of person that people will like, but in the end he can't befriend everyone. He knows that, but it doesn't stop him from feeling upset.

Since he now knows that he'll never befriend that boy with the large eyebrows and green eyes, Alfred's able to refocus on what's to come in the school year ahead without distraction. The rest of the week continues as usual, with trips to the library, football games, and dodging his parents inquiries about university trips and scholarship applications.

That is, until the end of the week when he's working again. It's like any other work day, that is until the door opens and suddenly the restaurant goes quiet. Confused, Alfred looks up and once again his heart nearly leaps out of his chest when the green eyed teenager enters and makes his way towards the counter.

"Oh hey, it's Eyebrows! Did you decide you wanted to try that burger, after all?" Alfred asks, and several shocked pairs of eyes turn to look at him in unison.

"Call me that again. Go ahead," the teen spits out, and Alfred internally cringes. But he's got the boy's attention, and that's what matters.

Alfred just smiles and shrugs. "Well, you never gave me _your_ name, so I have to call you something, right?"

The boy moves his jaw, as if trying to decide whether to kill Alfred or not. Alfred continues to smile at him, hoping that he'll decide against murder, especially since the restaurant patrons are still all watching them in fear.

"It's Arthur," the boy finally says, and Alfred's heart skips a beat. He knows his name now. The smile on his face widens exponentially.

"Arthur, huh? I think I like Eyebrows better."

Arthur bristles then and he looks murderous for a moment before he turns to leave. Alfred panics.

"Hey! You'll come back again, won't you?" Alfred calls after him. It can't end now, he won't let it.

Arthur pauses in the doorway, then quickly exits. It's enough, though, and Alfred smiles again.

"You really want to see that punk again?" one of his co-workers asks as business resumes as usual. Alfred just shrugs and smiles. He still doesn't understand these feelings he has really, but he knows one thing is certain.

He's definitely going to see Arthur again.


End file.
